John Wick, but one is certainly better than the other. 2017's Atomic Blonde is a Cold War-centered spy drama that follows the calm, yet impressively tough MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) as she tenaciously tracks down a dangerously comprising list of agents that's fallen into the wind. The action takes place in Berlin, right as the city's infamous wall is crumbling in 1989.
Nobody, which came out earlier this year, is also jam-packed with nasty fight scenes, bullet sprays, and a theme of espionage. But the plot itself is very different from Atomic Blonde. Bob Odenkirk stars as Hutch Mansell, a former CIA hitman who has left the profession for a life of normalcy, an office job, and a family. But the monotony of being an "average Joe" slowly wears on him, and a home invasion that shocks his family and emasculates his sense of patriarchal manhood inspires him to tap into his viciousness that has been dormant for years. It's clear how both of these films are very similar to 2014's John Wick, the ex-assassin's revenge journey that has since pioneered its own purposely gratuitous and extremely self-aware action flick sub-genre.
All three of these films share Russian antagonists, spy subject matter, and seem to know how over-the-top they are (especially with how Atomic Blonde and John Wick clones side by side, as far as a best overall movie, Atomic Blonde definitely comes out on top.
One major, positive attribute to the Cold War-orbiting spy flick, as with John Wick, is its distinctive visual appeal. It captures a notably '80s aesthetic, one with heavy amounts of flashy, neon lighting and an overall look that hearkens to the realm of many graphic novels (one of which, The Coldest City by Antony Johnston, inspired the movie). In addition, the car chase and fight scenes are literal wild rides. They have the Wick-ian feel of forcing viewers to ask themselves how much crazier can the sequences get. The intensity of the action is high-caliber, akin to the breakneck speed of James Bond or Jason Bourne movies. As with those franchises, Atomic Blonde has a sense of urgency driving the narrative. Just like the characters, viewers must pay close attention to keep up. Though Nobody is a lot of fun and action-packed, it doesn't quite have the slick visuals of the Charlize Theron thriller.
Of course, the film isn't perfect; it has its flaws as well. One major drawback is the constant thread of negative commentary regarding the two-faced, backstabbing nature of espionage. Though this message is palpable, the film dances around it without truly doing a deep dive outside of the original, agent list-focused plot. All three movies are fun to watch, and Nobody is certainly more playful and lighthearted than Atomic Blonde. But the latter is certainly a better action movie and John Wick-inspired film overall.
